Byesville Rotary holds 2015-16 Changing of the Guard

Pictured from left to right; Scott Lojas, Paul Harris Fellow, Phyllis Jeffries, President Elect and Treasurer; Oziel Jeffries, Board member; Chuck Fair, Secretary; Larry Miller, Sergeant at Arms; Shana Fair, President; Jim Bakos, Rotarian of the Year; Evelyn Spring ”Service Above Self” certificate; and Nellie Bichard, Board Member.

Rick Sabine, Assistant District Governor, presided at the Byesville Rotary Club installation ceremony and swore new officers in. Officers for 2015-16 are: Shana Fair, President; Phyllis Jeffries, President Elect and Treasurer; Chuck Fair; and Larry Miller Sergeant at Arms. New board member serving a two year term is Oziel Jeffries. Fair stated that her goals included working on continuing to build the Byesville Rotary Foundation which supports scholarships for Meadow Brook seniors, initiating a project to support childhood literacy, and continuing the club’s tradition of providing Christmas food baskets for families in the Rolling Hills School District.

Chuck Fair, outgoing president, recognized members for their service during his year. Jim Bakos was presented the “Rotarian of the Year” award. Bakos was chosen by club members for this honor for his work as Chair of the Scholarship Committee. Each year the club presents 3 scholarships to Meadowbrook seniors and 1-2 scholarships to Meadowbrook seniors attending Mid East. For many years, Bakos was responsible for insuring that scholarship applications are available to Meadowbrook students and for arranging interviews with the applicants.

Scott Lojas was recognized for earning a Paul Harris Fellowship, and presented with a Paul Harris medallion and pin. The Paul Harris Fellowship award is given in recognition of club member making a donation of $1000 to the Rotary Foundation. Other members of the club were recognized for their commitment to “Service Above Self: They were presented with a certificate recognizing that each had spent 50 or more hours working on club service projects or attending weekly meetings. This award replaces the “Perfect Attendance” certificate.

Thanks to Nellie Bichard and Jan Wilson for planning an enjoyable Changing of the Guard Dinner.

Connect with Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283  The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville.. Call Membership Chair Jim Vaughan, 740-432-5605, to learn more about how to join.

Byesville Rotary hears about special education at Rolling Hills

Pictured: Brian Raach, Special Education coordinator at Rolling Hills Schools and Chuck Fair, Byesville Rotary President. 

Brian Raach, Special Education coordinator at Rolling Hills Schools, spoke to club members about his passion for working with special education students. He began to appreciate the difference that can be made in the lives of students with special education needs early in his life. His mother and father were both teachers who worked with students with learning disabilities.

Raach explained that state laws require schools to intervene when students are struggling to learn successfully. There are numerous reasons that can cause a student to have difficulties including physical, developmental, or medical disabilities. The specific type of disability must be identified either by testing or by a medical diagnosis. Once a student is identified with a learning disability, a team of educators will make the final decision about the student’s need for intervention.

Raach pointed out that an Individualized Education Program known as an IEP will be developed for each student. Each IEP includes interventions to help the student reach his/her potential. The interventions can be quite simple. Simply changing a student’s seat location in the classroom can result in a better learning environment for the student by reducing distractions such as activity outside of a window. A teacher can try a different teaching technique or try placing the student in a smaller group.

“As often as possible, each student with a learning disability will be mainstreamed into the general classroom,” Raach stated.

Raach said that he is proud of a new program Rolling Hills has recently initiated in partnership with the Guernsey County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The new program, Colt Hoops, is a co-ed, student only basketball team for students with learning disabilities. The Rolling Hills team plays against the Cambridge team on Sundays. The opportunity to play sports teaches learning disabled students discipline, teamwork and improves physical skills.

Connect with Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting.

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Byesville Rotary gets update on Meadowbrook duel enrollment program

Pictured: Keith Arnold, Meadowbrook HS principal, and Chuck Fair, Byesville Rotary President.

Happy Fourth of July!

Keith Arnold, Meadowbrook High School principal, spoke to club members about the duel enrollment program now being offered at Meadowbrook. Arnold explained that duel enrollment allows a Meadowbrook student to take college level classes on the Meadowbrook campus. Duel enrollment classes earn a student both high school and college credit.

Arnold pointed out that duel enrollment classes differ from post secondary classes. Students enrolled in post secondary classes attend classes on a college/university campus. Disadvantages to this option include travel time, cost, and safety. Students are often unable to participate in many high school activities. Additionally, most colleges and universities do not inform high school staff about a student’s progress and often do not identify a problem early enough to help a student work through the problem. A student taking a duel enrollment class will be monitored by Meadowbrook staff who will step in and offer support if they see that a student is having difficulty.

Arnold explained that many of the students who chose to take post secondary classes are often student leaders. The dual enrollment program keeps those leaders at Meadowbrook. Arnold reported that an unexpected benefit of duel enrollment is that “…more kids can take advantage of college classes. Many kids realize they have more options for the future once they take a duel enrollment class and discover they can do college work.”

If a student chooses to go on to college, he/she will have the added bonus of entering college with college credits. Earning college credits in high school can help reduce the cost of college.

Arnold stated that the Meadowbrook duel enrollment program is 2 years old. The first year only 8 classes were offered. Classes were taught on campus. Sometimes the instructor came to campus. At other times the instructor came to Meadowbrook. A “Straight A Grant” enabled Meadowbrook to renovated an area and purchase the technology needed for the on-line classes. Plans are in progress to double and triple the number of courses taught in the program.

Connect with Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting.